


It Tasted like Home

by ThePeachKick



Category: The Grinch (2018)
Genre: Found Family, Gen, Lets see if I expand even more in the future, One Big Happy Family, a lot of crying, a oneshot for now, also grinch wont always be his name, grinch is just a big ball of anxiety, lots of fluff and angst, no max sorry but if i continue the story who knows, takes place just before new years eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 01:38:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16863796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePeachKick/pseuds/ThePeachKick
Summary: Benjamin Bricklebaum, a young boy, got lost in a blizzard. Finding a cave, he meets a green Who who doesn't have a family, or anyone to depend on really.The familial feeling sparks from there.





	It Tasted like Home

**Author's Note:**

> A (maybe for now) oneshot from an au I came up with the other night. Hope ya'll enjoy!

On top of Mt. Crumpit, lives a small Who boy. But not just any Who. His skin was not skin at all, but fur the color of green. With only a red and white scarf, he lives in a bare cave. He salvages from wherever he could find, having been living here for a few days. But the bitter cold was already making him disgruntled, with no family or friends, he was lonely. 

He held out hope, a smidge of hope, maybe someone would rescue him. But the days were growing longer, and his hope was diminishing with every hour. 

That was, until he heard a sneeze. A harsh cough. 

“Hello?” he calls. In his days here, he never heard or seen anyone else other than himself. 

“Hello?” a voice called back, followed by another sneeze. Grinch wanders down to the entrance, finding a smaller boy, maybe the same age or a year younger or so, than him. Shorter, a bit stout with big brown eyes. He wore a Christmas sweater, a beanie, and a confused look.

“Who are you?” Grinch asks.

“I’m Benjamin! Benjamin Bricklebaum. But people call me Benny or Ben,” he greets, holding his hand. Grinch hesitates, looking at it like it was a foreign object.

“I…”

“Not a touchy person? That’s ok,” he reassures. “My mom tells me that sometimes people don’t like to be touched. While it’s nice to give hugs, sometimes people don’t like hugs.”

Grinch wrings his hands, nodding unsurely. 

“What about you?”

“I’m… I’m Grinch,” he introduces himself. Benjamin raises a brow.

“Grinch? That’s an... interesting name.”

“It’s the name I gave myself,” the green boy replies. Benjamin shrugs, looking around while sniffling. 

“It’s a good thing you’re not out there. I was playing in the snow but before I knew it, there was a whole blizzard! Got lost, now I’m here--” Benjamin looks around, wiping his nose with the sleeve of his sweater. “--where are your parents?”

“I don’t have any,” Grinch answers immediately. 

“N-No family? Not even a guardian?”

Grinch shakes his head, looking away ashamed. 

“Well, I’m sure my parents could help! They’re pretty involved in the community, my dad actually helps get the Whoville tree and star!” 

“Really?” Grinch asks, admittedly amazed. Benjamin nods, then sneezes again.

“Grinch, do you have a fire we could sit by? It’s awfully chilly. I don’t think the blizzard is gonna let up the chill either.”

“Oh! Yeah, yeah I have a fire.” 

Grinch led Benjamin to the flames that always stay lit, in the middle of the cave. Benjamin immediately sat beside it, holding out his gloved hands. He sighs in delight, rubbing his hands together. 

Grinch stood, hesitant as he stared at Benjamin. He hadn’t had any friends, much less acquaintances, ones who randomly stumbled upon his home. Maybe it’d have happened eventually; after all, Mt. Crumpit was popular for Yodelers. Didn’t mean he was any less uncomfortable. He finally sat down, but farthest away from Benjamin. If Benjamin noticed his anxiety, he didn’t comment on it, only offered a friendly smile. 

“How long have you been up here, Grinch?”

“Um… Almost a week, I think.”

“Aw, that means you missed Christmas, then. This year was so big for Christmas. The tree was like, as big as a skyscraper!” Benjamin did jazz hands, looking up at the cave like that’d mimic how tall the tree was. 

“I’m… guessing you really like Christmas?” Grinch states timidly. Benjamin nods excitedly. 

“Yeah! The lights, the presents, the food. But especially,  _ especially _ spending time with family.” 

Grinch let out a weak chuckle, and Benjamin shook his head, sheepish.

“I promise you, Grinch. I’ll find you a family even if it’s the last thing I do! And, if we can’t find one, maybe you can be my brother!”

Grinch sputters, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“I’m a single child. My two aunts have a  _ huge _ family though, so it never feels like I’m an only child. I’m sure my parents will love you!”

“I don’t know…” Grinch mumbles. 

“You let me in and kept me warm. No one does that without even a smidge of kindness,” Benjamin replies, once again smiling. 

“Ok, if you say so,” Grinch says. Benjamin nods, looking at the opening of the cave. Grinch follows his gaze. The blizzard was letting up a little, just enough to see Whoville in the distance.

“It looks like it’s letting up!” Benjamin cries excitedly. 

“We should probably wait a little longer…” Grinch replies. Benjamin nods. 

“In the morning then! Hey, have you had anything to eat lately?”

Grinch shakes his head. Benjamin reaches into his snow pants pocket, producing a few cookies and two energy bars. 

“I was gonna share these with my friends, but obviously the storm prevented that. Here you go!”

Grinch hesitantly takes the cookie, looking at the slightly hardened chocolate chips. He opens his mouth, just as Benjamin was already half way done with his cookie. Grinch bites down on it, and tears instantly come to his eyes. Despite the chocolate chips being a little frozen, they had melted right into his mouth anyway. How was that possible? It tasted… It was…

A tear flew down his cheek. 

“Whoa! Grinch, you ok?”

Grinch wipes at his eyes with his scarf, nodding. 

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine,” he replies, his voice wavering. Benjamin nods, not prying as he finishes off his cookie. Grinch savors his however, enjoying every and last crumb. Benjamin then gave him an energy bar. It wasn’t as tear-jerking as the cookie, but it still tasted nice for.. Blueberries and oats?

“We should get some sleep!” Benjamin announces, polishing off his bar. Grinch nods, his green eyes flickering to the corner. He walks over, grabbing two blankets. He had managed to find them in a lost and found when he was coming up the mountain. He felt bad about it at first, but he knew he needed them if he wanted to be warm up here. 

“I usually use one blanket for a pillow, but you need a blanket too,” he explains, handing the red one to Benjamin. 

“Thank you, Grinch.” Benjamin settles down, wrapping the blanket around himself like a burrito. 

“You’re welcome… Ben,” Grinch replies. Benjamin smiles, snuggling into his blanket. Grinch however, lies in wake as Benjamin sleeps. Once again, tears fell from his eyes. He couldn’t pinpoint why, was it the cookie? The steadily growing hope that he’d--

He’d…

Fear grips him, and he grips his green blanket harder. What if his parents didn’t like him? He’d be scorned, forced to live in the cave again. Forever. 

He closes his eyes, once again wiping at his eyes with his hands. No, he wouldn’t let his mind dwell on those thoughts. 

_ Just go to sleep _ , he told himself.

When he awoke, the fire was embers, and Benjamin was fixing his boots.

“Ah! Good morning! The blizzard is all cleared up! Come on!” Benjamin said, standing. The red blanket was folded neatly, though Benjamin picks it up as Grinch stands, his eyes feeling irritated from crying. Grinch folded his blanket too, like Benjamin’s. It was a little more sloppy than his, but it was better than carrying a whole unfolded blanket down the way.

“Good morning…” Grinch mumbles. Benjamin holds the blanket close to his chest.

“We should be down the mountain in a half an hour. Come on!” 

Benjamin, with a pep in his step, starts to walk down the mountain. Grinch ganders around the cave one last time, and follows Benjamin. The morning air was crisp, the snow white, thick and kinda blinding. They both kept their eyes squinted, as to not become blind from the sun reflecting off the snow. 

Soon, Whoville became less of a speck and Benjamin was leading Grinch to his home. It was a large cabin, just off the edge of Whoville. Grinch could still see people moving however in the town.

Benjamin opens the door, his mother and father holding each other.

“Mom! Dad!” Benjamin cheerfully greets. 

“Benjamin!” his mother cries, letting go of his father. She hugs her son, Benjamin accidentally dropping the blanket he had clutched. “Never do that to me or your father again!” 

_ “Son, you’re in big trouble,” _ his father signs. Benjamin smiles sheepishly. His mother finally notices the greener Who behind him, and gives a curious look.

“Who is this?” she asks. Benjamin gestures to him. 

“He helped me through the blizzard! We shared cookies and a fire! It was like camping!” Benjamin explained, half reassuring his parents that he didn’t have to sleep in the blizzard or something worse, signing for his dad too. 

Grinch stood, feeling just as frozen as the icicles that grew outside of the house. Benjamin’s mom had extremely black kinky hair, in an afro on top of her head. Her eyes were brown, like Benjamin’s. His father was bald, and had hazel eyes. If he was signing, Grinch realizes he must be deaf or mute. Maybe both? He didn’t want to pry. 

_ “He’s just a child…” _ Benjamin’s father signs, realizing the gravity of the situation. 

“I’m Janice, dear,” Janice introduces softly. Suddenly, her motherly instincts had shifted, as for sure there was no parents outside, nor had greeted them. It came to them quickly that he was in that said cave alone. “This is my husband, George.” 

Grinch’s mouth suddenly felt dry, and he took a step back. 

“There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“I…”

Benjamin stood beside his friend. 

“My name… It’s--It’s…” Grinch tries to will up the courage to say his name. Janice and George wait patiently, as Grinch wet his lips. “Grinch.”

“Grinch. It’s very nice to meet you, sweetie,” Janice replies. Grinch nods, almost hiding behind Benjamin, who was slightly taller than him. “Would you like to stay for breakfast?”

Grinch only nods. Janice signs to George, and looks at the two boys. 

“Pancakes, then. With chocolate chips!” 

Janice sits them down, getting out the pancake stove. It was almost like she was on a mission, making the batter quicker than Grinch could analyze. She poured in the milk chocolate chips, stirring and placing decent sized circles on the stove. Grinch suddenly felt his mouth water, smelling the pancakes.

Benjamin smiles, humming to himself. George simply reads the newspaper, waiting for his coffee to brew. 

Soon, the pancakes are done, and Janice serves them on plates. She grabs the orange juice, pouring it into two cups. She also grabs the syrup, giving it to Benjamin.

Grinch could barely take it in, everything was happening so fast, but he let it happen. Never had he seen pancakes. The orphanage he ran away from only served oatmeal and cereal. 

“Pour this on them, they’ll taste really good! However, you can just pour it next to them, if you don’t want to try it right away,” Benjamin explains, pouring the syrup all over his pancakes. 

“Alright…” Grinch replies softly. Benjamin gives him the syrup, and he pours some next to the pancakes. Grinch takes the knife and fork, slowly and hesitantly cutting through the breakfast food. He places the pancake into his mouth after a moment of staring at it. 

His eyes began to water again. 

“Grinch?” Janice asks, concerned. George looks up from his newspaper, a soft look on his face as the young boy started to cry. Benjamin gently put a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry-- I’m sorry--” Grinch apologizes over and over, but he couldn’t stop. 

“No, no, sweetie it’s ok,” Janice reassures. Grinch begins to smile, sniffling as he swallows the piece. He starts to eat with gusto, though he was still crying. Janice smiles herself, George standing to get his coffee. He watches, a smile also on his lips. 

“Thank you.” Grinch wipes his eyes with his scarf again after finishing, trembling. Janice hugs him. "Thank you," his voice is hoarse.

"Of course, of course..."

A few days later, Janice and George were at the orphanage that Grinch had ran away from. A stuck up Who sat behind the desk, helping them sign the papers.

“Wait,” Grinch finally spoke. Janice and George look at him. “I don’t… I don’t want to be Grinch.”

“What would you like to be called, then, sweetie?”

Grinch stays silent for a moment. Then speaks.

“Felix. I want to be Felix.”

“Felix. I love that name,” Janice hums. 

_ “A good name for a good kid,” _ George signs, smiling softly. Felix smiles, his eyes crinkling. 

Benjamin holds his hand, grinning.

“I told you.”

Felix hugs his new brother, holding back tears. 

Maybe things weren’t so… Grinchy, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Someone else came up with his old name being Felix, I forgot who that was exactly but when I find out I'll post credit here!
> 
> I'm writing this at six am, god. Sorry if it seems rushed because of that, but when I got this muse I just couldn't stop typing haha.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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